South Africa has one of the highest TB rates in the world but a cure rate of only 54%. TB is often the first sign of HIV infection and is the leading cause of death in people living with HIV/AIDS. Health-e follows the story of Clive Maimela, and HIV positive man who had to struggle with TB.
Lungi Langa, a 24 year old journalist was diagnosed with TB in October 2009. She recounts her arduous journey toward recovery in the form of a diary. Read part one.
Ahead of World TB Day (24 March), US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg helped public and private sector partners launch a new collaboration to significantly accelerate the development of combination treatments for tuberculosis' and replace an almost 50-year-old drug regimen.
South Africa's student population recorded an HIV prevalence of 3,4% in the first comprehensive study to survey the scope and impact of HIV and AIDS on the higher education sector in South Africa. The HIV prevalence among academic staff was 1,5%, administrative staff 4,4% and service staff 12,2%.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo visited fellow doctor Nerissa Pather at her home after seeing Health-e's 'Special Assignment' feature on her.
In 2006, the outbreak of an almost untreatable form of TB in Kwa-Zulu Natal struck fear in the public health community. TB is an airborne disease which is spread by coughing, sneezing or '¦simply talking. It's usually curable, but decades of a poorly run TB Control Programme has resulted in an explosion of new and lethal strains of drug resistant TB. Failure to curb infection has seen the number of TB case sky-rocket and among them are doctors and nurses.
A protein discovered in fruit fly eyes has brought a Johns Hopkins team closer to understanding how the human heart and other organs automatically "right size" themselves, a piece of information that may hold clues to controlling cancer.
Five (5) more people have been infected with Rift Valley Fever (RVF), bringing the total to 52 of laboratory confirmed human cases since the first incident on 13 February 2010. The mortality rate remains the same at 2.
At a media briefing later this morning (25/03/2010), Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will outline how ready the country's health facilities are to test up to 15 million people for HIV. This is for the imminent HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) campaign launching in April. People who have tested and are living with HIV indicate that they are ready to help if needed.
From the 1st of April, HIV and TB patients will experience a major shift in policy when they go for their next appointment at a public health facility. The two will be treated by the same unit from now on. We find out why.
Mpumalanga's cure rate of 60% for Tuberculosis falls far below the national target of 70% and is a sign that the province's TB Control Programme is failing. Many patients are defaulting on treatment and dying of TB. The province is also home to one of the six districts with the worst track-record of curing TB in South Africa. A critical staff shortage, says the provincial TB unit head, is hindering progress.
As of this morning 24 March 2010, five (5) more laboratory confirmed human cases of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) have been reported by the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), bringing the total to 47 of people infected by RVF.
My name is Lungi Langa. I am a 24-year-old HIV-negative health journalist. I am living with TB. It sounds odd when I say that. But it's real.
Researchers are designing a new model for determining the demographic impact of HIV and AIDS in South Africa.
Durban healthworkers who treat patients with drug-resistant TB should be given special incentives such as 'danger pay'.
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